Containers with stoppers

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a container especially in the form of a small glass bottle for storing tablets or the like. The container is combined with a stopper insertable in the cylindrical opening in the container. The stopper has a resilient plug portion widening conically towards the container and then tapering inwardly. This plug portion cooperates with an annular locking means located on the inner wall of the opening. The locking means is formed by a bead against which a section of the resilient plug portion, which widens conically towards the interior of the container bears resiliently in the closed position of the stopper.

United States Patent [191 Dichter Aug. 19, 1975 CONTAINERS WITH STOPPERS[76] Inventor: Hans-Joachim Dichter,

Sachendamm 93, 1 Berlin 62, Germany [22] Filed: July 16, 1973 [21] Appl.No.: 379,379

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data July 21, 1972 Germany 2236528[52] US. Cl. 215/31; 215/355; 215/344 [51] Int. Cl B65d 39/00 [58] Fieldof Search 215/31, 271, 341,344, 215/355, 346, 358; 220/245 [56]References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,669,370 2/1954 Royall 215/3552,921,708 l/1960 Marcel 215/48 3,074,579 l/l963 Miller 215/344 3,084,8234/1963 Reichstein 215/47 X 3,275,178 9/1966 Lovell 215/344 X 3,281,00210/1966 Geiss 215/355 3,568,871 3/1971 Livingstone 215/344 3,596,6948/1971 Jaeniche 215/31 X 3,737,063 6/1973 Loup 215/31 X FOREIGN PATENTSOR APPLICATIONS 809,990 3/1959 United Kingdom 215/307 PrimaryExaminer-Donald F. Norton Attorney, Agent, or FirmSmythe & Moore [5 7ABSTRACT The invention relates to a container especially in the form ofa small glass bottle for storing tablets or the like. The container iscombined with a stopper insertable in the cylindrical opening in thecontainer. The stopper has a resilient plug portion widening conicallytowards the container and then tapering inwardly. This plug portioncooperates with an annular locking means located on the inner wall ofthe opening. The locking means is formed by a bead against which asection of the resilient plug portion, which widens conically towardsthe interior of the container bears resiliently in the closed positionof the stopper.

2 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTED AUG 1 9 I975 SEICET 2 UP 2CONTAINERS WITH STOPPERS The invention refers to a container, usually ofglass, especially in the form of a small bottle for storing tablets,dragees or the like, with a stopper insertable in a cylindrical openingin the container, which exhibits a resilient plug portion wideningconically towards the interior of the container and then tapering inagain, which cooperates with an annular locking member arranged on theinner wall of the opening.

Glass containers of the aforesaid kind are known in which the lockingmember is formed by a recess formed in the inner wall of the neck of abottle, into which the plug portion, in the zone between its outwardlyand inwardly tapering sections, snaps resiliently, so that the crownbetween the two sections comes to lie in the equatorial plane of therecess. Such known constructions, for various reasons, are not entirelysatisfactory. One of the first reasons is that the recesses in the necksof the bottles can form pockets for dirt, which naturally is highlyundesirable. Another reason is that it is relatively difficult to form arecess on the inside of the neck of a bottle, since tools are necessarywhich 'must be introduced into the inside of the neck of the bottle andthere expanded.

The object of the invention is to correct the disadvantages indicatedand to produce a glass container with a stopper of the aforementionedkind, which can be simply produced and well cleaned.

This problem is solved in accordance with the invention by the provisionof a bottle and stopper in which the locking is accomplished by means ofa bead internally of the bottle neck against which the section of aresilient plug portion of the stopper which widens conically towards theinterior of the container bears resiliently in the closed position ofthe stopper.

The construction in accordance with the invention offers the advantagethat because of the application of a bead the formation of pockets fordirt in the opening in the glass container is prevented. Since theconically widening portion presses against the bead, the stopper is heldsecurely because the conical portion forms a kind of anchor which tendsto pull the stopper inside the container.

In the case of small glass bottles, the bead can be produced by a toolpressing against the outside or face of the neck of the bottle.

The invention will be further described with reference to the attacheddrawings, in which:

FIG. I is the side elevation of a stopper in section,

FIG. 2 is a section through the necklike end of the glass container,

FIG. 3 is the stopper in accordance with FIG. 1 inserted in the glasscontainer in accordance with FIG. 2,

FIG. 4 is a modified embodiment of a glass container with a stopper, and

FIG. 5 is a further modified embodiment of a bottle and stoppercombination.

In FIGS. 1 to 3 a stopper is designated generally by 11, which has aplug portion 12 and an upper part 13. The plug portion 12 is resilientand has a section 14 widening conically towards the interior of thecontainer and a section 15 tapering in towards the interior of thecontainer. The sections 14 and 15 form truncated cones which meet at acrown 16.

Referring to FIG. 2, 17 is an opening in the neck 18 of a bottle whichhas an outer edge 19. Remote from the outer edge 19 the material of theneck 18 of the bottle is forced inwards by a roller tool 20, indicatedin broken line, so that an internal bead 21 is formed.

FIG. 3 shows the stopper 11 inserted into the neck of the bottle. It canbe seen that the bead 21 rests resiliently against the outwardlytapering section 14 of the plug portion 12, that is, remote from thecrown 16. Since the section 14 forms a kind of inclined plane thestopper is pulled into the interior of the container, its annular flange22 being pressed against the outer edge 19 of the neck 18 of the bottle.By selecting a suitable offset between the crown l6 and the crown of thebead 2] care can be taken that the stopper 11 in the event of anoverpressure arising inside the container can make a limitedcompensating movement. During this compensating movement the force whichholds the stopper in the neck 18 of the bottle continually increases.

FIG. 4 shows a bottle 23 for storing tablets, dragees or the like, theneck 24 of which bottle is widened at the outer edge 25 and forms aninternal annular bead 26. Against the bead 26 rests a widening section27 of a plug portion 28. For increasing the resilience of the plugportion 28 the upper part 29 of the stopper in the zone of itstransition into the plug portion 28 is provided with annular recesses 30and 31. The upper part 29 is also formed with an annular flange 32which, however, is equipped on its surface facing the container withresiliently deformable ribs 33. The insertion of the plug portion 28 isfacilitated by an inwardly tapering section 34 of the plug portion,which adjoins the section 27.

Whilst the embodiments, so far described have had stoppers with onesection widening out and one tapering in, respectively, the stopper 35,in accordance with FIG. 5, is equipped with a number of wideningsections 36 and inwardly tapering sections 37. If a tablet bottle of thekind displayed in FIG. 5, is taken from a cool to a warm environment theair present inside the container can expand a certain amount without thestopper 35 coming completely out. On the contrary, with increasingexpansion, sections 36 of the plug portion 38 lying further down comeinto contact with the bead 39 in the neck 40 of the bottle.

I claim:

1. A glass bottle for storing tablets, dragees or the like incombination with a resilient stopper insertable in a cylindrical openingin the bottle, said stopper having a resilient plug portion wideningconically towards the interior of the bottle and then tapering inwardlyagain, said plug portion cooperating with an annular locking meansarranged on the inner wall of the opening, said locking means being abead against which a section of the resilient plug portion which widensconically towards the interior of the bottle bears resiliently in theclosed position of the stopper, the bead and the wall adjacent theretobeing of substantially the same thickness, the bead thus forming notonly a locking means on the inner wall but also an annular groove on theouter side of the bottle.

2. A glass bottle as claimed in claim 1 wherein the bead has been formedby pressing inwardly from the exterior of the bottle.

1. A glass bottle for storing tablets, dragees or the like incombination with a resilient stopper insertable in a cylindrical openingin the bottle, said stopper having a resilient plug portion wideningconically towards the interior of the bottle and then tapering inwardlyagain, said plug portion cooperating with an annular locking meansarranged on the inner wall of the opening, said locking means being abead against which a section of the resilient plug portion which widensconically towards the interior of the bottle bears resiliently in theclosed position of the stopper, the bead and the wall adjacent theretobeing of substantially the same thickness, the bead thus forming notonly a locking means on the inner wall but also an annular groove on theouter side of the bottle.
 2. A glass bottle as claimed in claim 1wherein the bead has been formed by pressing inwardly from the exteriorof the bottle.